


Nothing Simple About It

by SarahJeanne



Category: The Good Wife (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-23
Updated: 2013-12-23
Packaged: 2018-01-05 15:42:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1095742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SarahJeanne/pseuds/SarahJeanne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU: Alicia is having an affair with her campaign manager while running for State's Attorney.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nothing Simple About It

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dudavocado](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dudavocado/gifts).



Cary was already there, pressing a cup of coffee into her hand, when Alicia walked into her office at 7:23, doing nothing to stop the door from slamming behind her.

“You’re late,” he said, cushioning the accusation with a smile and a hand brushing down her arm.

“I know,” she sighed. “Grace couldn’t find all the pieces to her science project and Peter couldn’t be bothered to drag his ass out of bed to help look. We ended up having to make Mars and Venus out of tennis balls only to find the nicely painted styrofoam ones that were already in the car.”

“I’m sorry. That sounds like a rough way to start the morning.”

Alicia shook her head. “It’s fine,” she said, and took a long drink of her coffee. “What’s going on this morning? I have a breakfast?”

“Yes, with some people from the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence. I have biosketches on them here,” Cary said, holding up the folder. “You can review them in the car. Then after we finish up with them, you have an 11:00 meeting with Phil Dixby about your commitment to crack down on identity theft and online scams followed by--”

“Wait, is Phil Dixby the crazy guy who held the one man protest about--”

“About that cartoon he said was being used to turn kids into communist spies? Yes. But he’s loaded, he likes you, and we could use the money.”

“Well,” Alicia said, sitting back on the couch next to the door. “Alright then.” 

“Right, so, Phil Dixby followed by your speech at the Illinois Democratic Women lunch at 1:00. And I’ll stop there for now because who knows what will have happened to this evening’s schedule by then.”

“Is this election almost over?” Alicia asked. “Because I could use just one day where I can sleep until 7:00, wake up and read the newspaper in my pajamas, and then do nothing, all day.”

Cary dropped down next to her on the couch and leaned in to her ear. “But you didn’t let me tell you the good part yet.”

Alicia smiled. “Which is?”

“All of the meetings are at the Omni,” Cary said quietly, his fingers creeping across Alicia’s neck. “Three meetings, one hotel.”

Alicia tipped her head to the side and dropped her voice to match Cary’s. “And you got a room for me to regroup in?”

“That I did.”

She moved her hand to Cary’s knee. “I knew I hired you for a reason.”

“I try to stay on top of my game,” Cary said, with his lips brushing across her ear.

“You could stay on top of something else.” Alicia let her hand drift up Cary’s thigh until his hand came down hard, stopping her.

“We have to head downtown now or,” he glanced at the clock, “ten minutes ago. The breakfast is at 8:00.”

Alicia stood up shaking her head. She smoothed her skirt. “You shouldn’t start something you can’t finish.”

“Oh, I’ll finish,” Cary said, grabbing his briefcase. “This is nothing more than a pause.” He handed her the file on the ILCADV. “To be continued.”

Alicia held the door for Cary as they walked out. “I’m counting on it.”

\---

“It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Dixby,” Alicia said with a smile plastered on her face. “Thank you for your support.”

“Knock them dead, Mrs. Florrick. Knock them dead.”

Alicia let the smile drop off her have before Phil Dixby was even to the lobby. “He was exhausting.”

“You did great though,” Cary said, guiding her toward the lobby with a hand on her upper back. “He’s going to write us a check.

“Sometimes this feels awfully close to prostitution.”

Cary laughed. “At least his clothes stayed on. That’s not a sight I want to see.”

Alicia shuddered. “Good point. So, how long do we have?”

Cary looked at his watch. “You need to be at lunch in 45 minutes.”

The corners of Alicia’s lips turned up. “I think we can work with that, don’t you?”

“Mrs. Florrick?” one of the interns interrupted with a phone in her stretched out hand. “Your husband’s calling for you. He says it’s urgent.”

“Of course it is,” Alicia said, taking the phone and stepping to the side of the hall. “Peter?”

“Zach’s school called. He’s sick, throwing up apparently. Someone needs to go get him and it can’t be me.”

“Well it can’t be me,” Alicia said. “I have to give a speech in less than an hour.”

“What is it?” Cary mouthed at her.

Alicia shook her head. “We talked about this when I decided to run and you said you would do more of this kind of thing.”

“I’m literally walking in to a client meeting right now,” Peter said. “I don’t know what you want from me.

“Fine,” she spit out. “I’ll figure it out.” Alicia punched at the phone roughly to hang it up and sighed.

“What’s up?” Cary asked.

“Zach’s sick. He needs to be picked up from school and Peter won’t do it.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Cary said, just letting the tips of his fingers brush against Alicia’s hand hanging by her side. “I’ll take care of it. Steven’s waiting in the lobby with your speech, he can go over it with you. I’ll try to make it back for the end of the lunch.”

“Thank you, Cary. This is so not in your job description.”

“It’s not a problem.” Cary grinned. “Just kill it up there.”

\---

“That was one great speech, boss,” Cary whispered into Alicia’s ear as she finished shaking hands with members of the Illinois Democratic Women.

Alicia smiled. “I didn’t see you here while I was speaking.”

“I hid outside the door,” Cary said. He paused while the last woman walked to the door. “Sometimes I think it’s best if I’m out of sight while you speak. There’s something about you when you’re up there. I have inappropriate thoughts.”

“Cary,” Alicia chided, glancing around at the hotel staff starting to clean the ballroom. “There are people here.”

Cary leaned in toward her. “Then let’s go somewhere there aren’t people.”

\---

The door slammed as Cary pushed Alicia up against it, holding her there with his entire body. Alicia let her head clunk back against the door as Cary kissed down her throat. “Finally.”

\---

Alicia rolled away from Cary so she was lying on her back, staring at the ceiling. “I think Peter’s cheating on me,” she said, monotone.

There was silence except for the sound of Cary shifting under the covers as he rolled to look at her. “Um, no offence Alicia,” he said eventually, “but you’re on shaky ground here.” He reached one hand out and placed it on her stomach. “Is that really something you should be complaining about?” he asked, gently.

Alicia turned her head to look at him, smiling sadly. “Probably not.” She sighed and looked back at the ceiling. “When I picked up the laundry this morning I saw lipstick on his pants.”

Cary winced and started stroking his fingers along her side. “I have to admit, I’m really not sure what’s appropriate for me to say here.”

“Me either,” Alicia admitted. “It just makes me wonder what we’re doing. Sneaking around in hotel rooms while he’s off doing the same. It seems like it could be easier.”

Cary stilled his hand. “You’re not thinking of doing something about it are you?”

“I don’t know.”

“You can’t, Alicia. There’s a month until the election. And unless you do something crazy, like expose to the world that you’re sleeping with your campaign manager behind your husband’s back, then you’ll be in office. This is a scandal. This brings your world crashing down around you in ways you can’t even fathom. This proves how terrible I am at my job.”

The air conditioner flicked off, jarring them with the sudden silence.

“You’re right,” Alicia whispered. “You are right and I hate it.”

“You know, I’m actually very good at my job. I have an impeccable track record of winning elections.” Cary finds her hand under the covers and laces their fingers together. “You’re just irresistible.” 

Alicia smiles. “How do you manage to say that without making it sound like a line?”

“Because it’s true.” Cary pushes himself up onto his elbow, looking down directly at Alicia. “Look, Alicia, I understand why you’re cheating on Peter. I’m complicit with it. And that’s because you are an amazing woman.” He dips down to brush his lips across her cheek. “I don’t understand why any man wouldn’t realize how lucky he is to have you.”

“This will never be simple will it?” Alicia murmurs, shifting so she’s back under Cary.

“No,” Cary says, letting one hand cup Alicia’s cheek. “But I think it’s worth it.”

Alicia turns her head to press a kiss to Cary’s palm. “Agreed.”


End file.
